Life after death, interesting read

[mperry]

Hey man, having doubt doesn't make you an athiest, or an agnostic. Just makes you human.

I was hoping I wasnt coming across that way. Like I said I have some questions that I dont think anyone can answer. I think if you look at it scientifically then their are things that dont add up going by what I know the Bible says.
I appreciate everyone who has replied to this thread and this will be my last post on it. Your probably getting pretty bored with my drivel. However I am going to continue to read and if something catches my eye then I may have to reply. I am on several other message board and there is no way this would have been allowed to stay up on almost all of them. I like a good discussion about religion and politics but they usually go south pretty quick. That didn't happen here. That says something about the people on this site.

[bassin_bug]

I see what you are saying but I disagree with not being able to see love. When I look at my grandchildren, my kids, my wife and family I can see love. I understand what you are saying though. I also know what science says about the heart but really I don't understand it. You bring up good points about atheists and reasons to beleive. I hope I'm not coming across as an atheist because I don't think that I am. Unless having doubt is the same as being an atheist. I know there are a lot of things that cannot be explained and I would not even try to. In your opinion since I have doubt do you think that makes me an atheist? I'm not going to be offended by anything anyone says. It's just I don't think that I am. Maybe an Agnostic would be a better word.

My response wasn't directed at you nor was it intended to label you an atheist. It just happened to posted immediately after your post.

[jcb]

You say that we were created to Glorify Him but what else. That's like God has an ego. How can God let what goes on here happen? Millions of people are suffering. Children are suffering. I guess I don't understand how that Glorifies anything. If anything we have done the opposite of Glorifying Him.

It would be like God had an ego if he were just a human. This is what I call the Oprah error--assigning human attributes and thought patterns to the ultimate non-human, God.

Oprah said she abandoned "traditional Christianity" because of the Bible passages that refer to God as "a jealous God". Now, if the word "jealous" meant the same for God as it does for us, I would agree with her. But what God is saying in those passages is, “Listen, I love you. I created you to glorify me and for you to have abundant and everlasting life. But you can’t do either one of those things if I am thirteenth on your heart’s priority list. I love you, but if your free will leads you to dishonor me, there are going to be consequences.”

Who better to glorify? Who deserves it more? You and I shouldn't be glorified because we're not perfect. God is.

The suffering that exists is our own doing. Before Adam and Eve, there was none--not even death. Through them, suffering (and death) came into the world. If your son murdered someone and got put into prison, would that mean you didn't love him? No. Now say you sent your other willing son to serve out your murderous son's sentence in his place, wouldn't that show your love for the first son? Yes. God's compassion is not diminished because suffering exists, but his mercy is magnified because he offers a remedy for our sin penalty through Christ.

I agree with you 100% that we, as a human race, have often done the opposite of glorifying Him. But the flip side of the coin is the joy, and eternal life, that comes to those who give Him their lives.

[HURRICANEBOB]

Can you access fisin.com from Heaven? If so, when I get there, I promise to post and tell you how I did it.

[jcb]

Can you access fisin.com from Heaven? If so, when I get there, I promise to post and tell you how I did it.

Sounds like a plan. I bet there is some SERIOUS broadband in heaven.

[Tyme2fish]

Sounds like a plan. I bet there is some SERIOUS broadband in heaven.

Maybe, but don't text from there with your cell phone. I hear there's some serious roaming charges that apply.

[mperry]

It would be like God had an ego if he were just a human. This is what I call the Oprah error--assigning human attributes and thought patterns to the ultimate non-human, God.

Oprah said she abandoned "traditional Christianity" because of the Bible passages that refer to God as "a jealous God". Now, if the word "jealous" meant the same for God as it does for us, I would agree with her. But what God is saying in those passages is, “Listen, I love you. I created you to glorify me and for you to have abundant and everlasting life. But you can’t do either one of those things if I am thirteenth on your heart’s priority list. I love you, but if your free will leads you to dishonor me, there are going to be consequences.”

Who better to glorify? Who deserves it more? You and I shouldn't be glorified because we're not perfect. God is.

The suffering that exists is our own doing. Before Adam and Eve, there was none--not even death. Through them, suffering (and death) came into the world. If your son murdered someone and got put into prison, would that mean you didn't love him? No. Now say you sent your other willing son to serve out your murderous son's sentence in his place, wouldn't that show your love for the first son? Yes. God's compassion is not diminished because suffering exists, but his mercy is magnified because he offers a remedy for our sin penalty through Christ.

I agree with you 100% that we, as a human race, have often done the opposite of glorifying Him. But the flip side of the coin is the joy, and eternal life, that comes to those who give Him their lives.

What do you think about the timelines. According to the Bible the earth is around 6,000 years old but science says it is millions. How could this be possible? Also Noah's Ark carried 2 of each animal. Seems a little far fetched to me.

[Hlleonard]

What do you think about the timelines. According to the Bible the earth is around 6,000 years old but science says it is millions. How could this be possible? Also Noah's Ark carried 2 of each animal. Seems a little far fetched to me.

--
A lot of the stories contained in the bible are a stretch to accept, in the story of Noah there were supposedly 7 or maybe more of some of these animals, the details contained in the text of the Noah story make it impossible to accept rationally, in order to accept the bible as literally correct, you have to put aside common sense and believe what you are reading without question... I do believe the faith some folks have in christianity enriches their lives a great deal and that is a good thing but I also believe it is a long way from reality.

[mperry]

--
A lot of the stories contained in the bible are a stretch to accept, in the story of Noah there were supposedly 7 or maybe more of some of these animals, the details contained in the text of the Noah story make it impossible to accept rationally, in order to accept the bible as literally correct, you have to put aside common sense and believe what you are reading without question... I do believe the faith some folks have in christianity enriches their lives a great deal and that is a good thing but I also believe it is a long way from reality.

If I am not correct please correct me. The Bible was written by men but supposedly it is Gods words. Who's to say its not like any other story that gets told by men or women. A cut finger will turn into an amputation the more times it gets told.

[Hlleonard]

If I am not correct please correct me. The Bible was written by men but supposedly it is Gods words. Who's to say its not like any other story that gets told by men or women. A cut finger will turn into an amputation the more times it gets told.

--
That is true in most stories that get passed down from from our ancestors and as much as the bible has been re translated over the last few thousand years it is doubtful it even resembles the original context.
I personally believe most of the bible is legend that was passed down many years ago and was based on what the elders of the day believed to be true... Most of us know that legend tends to be rooted in the supernatural in a lot of cases.
Doesn't it seem odd that christianity as it is practiced in the U.S. originated in the part of the world that more and more of us are finding reasons to hate today... The middle east is a part of the world that doesn't have a lot of friends in this country yet christianity seems to be alive and well.... The folks in those countries have trashed the idea for something else but we still seem to think it is the only real truth.

[SLP]

What do you think about the timelines. According to the Bible the earth is around 6,000 years old but science says it is millions. How could this be possible? Also Noah's Ark carried 2 of each animal. Seems a little far fetched to me.

As far as the age of the earth. I don't really have any issue with believing it could be 6-7 thousand years old.

Look at it this way. When God created Adam for example, he was a man not a newborn. If somehow you could have seen Adam on day two he would have appeared as a grown man. Any scientist would say he has to have lived at least 25-30 years and all "evidence" would reflect that.

Well everything else IMO would be the same. There were full grown trees that were created, that IMO if cut down would have had rings for how old God chose them to be when he made them, just as Adam was a grown man. Similarly I believe that the mountains would have shown evidence of being what age God chose them to be.

However there is one verse that allows for the earth to be older, but yet not man.

Then God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years; Genesis 1:14

We see here that was when our days night and years were established. Prior to that we can't know for sure whatperiod of time a day was. In 2 Peter 3:8 we learn that one day to the Lord is like a thousand years.

But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. 2 Peter-3:8

Some things we just can't know for certain. I don't really have an issue trusting that God created may have everything in six literal days and when formed everything would appear as whatever age God intended them to be. Or everything created prior to day four when God gave us our time could have been much older.

[RoadToad]

As far as the age of the earth. I don't really have any issue with believing it could be 6-7 thousand years old.

You may as well have just said you have no issue with believing the Earth is flat.